Small-scale investments back Italy's commitment to LNG

摘要

Already an import link in Italy's natural gas supply chain, the OLT Offshore LNG Toscana receiving terminal will expand its versatility by converting its floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to load small-scale (ssLNG) carriers. Permanently moored 22 km off of Italy's coast between Pisa and Livorno, FSRU Toscana is used as a receiving terminal for large LNG carriers, storing and regasifying LNG into the country's national gas grid via a subsea pipeline. Following authorisation by Italy's Ministry of the Economic Development in October 2020, OLT can now provide a new LNG reloading service for ssLNG carriers which will underpin wider distribution of LNG for bunkering, power generation and heavy truck refuelling. Following the introduction of the ssLNG service within the OLT Regasification Code, OLT Offshore LNG Toscana gathered feedback from stakeholders through an expression of interest. In their responses, stakeholders outlined their proposals regarding their interest in annual capacity, expressed in the number of ssLNG carriers they expect to book, their small-scale service tariff expectations, and detailed the ssLNG carriers they expected to use. OLT plans to start offering the ssLNG service 1 January 2022.